Chapter 1020

Chapter 1020: Fortune Celebration Commerce

An elderly man with graying hair knelt heavily on the grass with a thud.

His frail frame trembled slightly, and tears streamed down his deeply furrowed face as he gazed at the vast, endless prairie before him. His heart was filled with a mix of emotions too complex to put into words.

This was not the ancestral homeland of his forebears, but it was a new land brimming with hope.

As a refugee, this old man was indeed fortunate. He had journeyed a thousand miles south with his Family, enduring the exploitation of officials and the assaults of bandits along the way. He had suffered illness and hunger, yet he had survived to reach this destination.

Throughout this arduous journey, he had witnessed too much death and depravity!

Around the old man, a temporary camp was beginning to take shape.

“Taibao Wang, allow me to introduce you,” Qin Qingxuan said with a warm smile from inside a tent, gesturing to a middle-aged man with a kind and honest face. “This is Yu Zhirong, the second manager of Fortune Celebration Commerce.”

The middle-aged man immediately bowed respectfully to Wang Chen and said, “I am Yu Zhirong, paying my respects to Taibao!”

“No need for formalities,” Wang Chen replied, reaching out to help him up. “Manager Yu, you’ve endured much hardship on this journey. Your efforts to aid and provide for the refugees are commendable. I will report this to Princess Qingyun and ensure that Fortune Celebration Commerce is recognized for its contributions to Dayan.”

“Thank you, my lord!” Yu Zhirong’s face brightened with joy. “To serve the Taibao and Her Highness is Fortune Celebration’s honor!”

As Yu Zhirong looked at the young Taibao before him, whose talent seemed almost otherworldly, his emotions grew increasingly complex.

By now, the outcome of the battle between the Yan army and the Hanhai army had spread far and wide, sending shockwaves across the land.

Hundreds of thousands of Yan soldiers had perished at Hanhai Pass, including their commander, Yan Xiaoyun, and the nation’s Grandmaster—all three martial honors had died in battle simultaneously. In a single night, Dayan had lost its pillars of strength.

The kingdom’s power had been severely diminished.

Many rumors surrounded this battle, some of them quite fantastical.

Some claimed that the Hanhai army’s victory was due to their commander, Shangguan Wuji, who had single-handedly fought the three martial honors of the Yan Kingdom and defended the most critical border.

Others insisted that the true slayer of the three martial honors was none other than Taibao Wang Chen, appointed by Princess Qingyun.

There were even whispers that Princess Qingyun was guarded by the most skilled guards in the palace…

As the second manager of Fortune Celebration Commerce, Yu Zhirong had access to far more information than the average person.

He knew that Wang Chen was the true hero, the one responsible for the deaths of the three martial honors.

Yet, seeing Wang Chen in person, Yu Zhirong found it difficult to comprehend how a young boy could possess such overwhelming strength, as if he had trampled the pride of all martial artists beneath his feet.

What a monstrous genius!

“Let’s skip the pleasantries,” Wang Chen said, waving his hand. “We have important matters to discuss.”

Fortune Celebration Commerce was one of the most renowned trading companies in Dayan, and their involvement in this endeavor was entirely due to Qin Qingxuan’s connections.

Last month, Qin Qingxuan had traveled to West Sea County to seek out Wang Chen, hoping that Princess Qingyun would take in the refugees from the three northern counties. She had expressed her willingness to mobilize the full strength of the Yuhua Sword Sect to assist.

After meeting with Princess Qingyun, the current heir of the Yuhua Sword Sect had immediately headed north to Jichuan to aid the refugees, maintaining contact with Wang Chen through flying eagle messages throughout the journey.

Fortune Celebration Commerce played a pivotal role in the migration of refugees from the three northern counties to West Sea County. Thanks to their organization and aid, the refugees no longer wandered aimlessly in search of shelter and were provided with enough food daily to sustain their lives.

The guards of Fortune Celebration Commerce not only fended off bandits preying on the refugees but also negotiated with local authorities along the route, ensuring the safe arrival of many refugees at the West Sea Prairie.

Wang Chen pulled a thick bundle of notes from his pocket and handed them to Yu Zhirong. “Count these.”

Yu Zhirong quickly accepted them with both hands, only to find that Wang Chen had given him dozens of gold notes and silver notes.

He swiftly counted them, calculating the total to be an astonishing three million taels of silver!

Even as the second manager of Fortune Celebration Commerce, who had handled vast sums of money, Yu Zhirong felt the weight of such immense wealth burning in his hands.

Cautiously, Yu Zhirong inquired, “Taibao, what is this for?”

“I need food,” Wang Chen replied without hesitation. “I also need cotton cloth, tung oil, brass, pig bristles…”

He listed over a dozen items in one breath and concluded, “Acquire as much as you can; money is no object. I wish to entrust this business to you. Does Fortune Celebration Commerce dare to take it on?”

Yu Zhirong couldn’t help but gasp.

The items Wang Chen requested were not only numerous but also included many highly sought-after supplies.

Wang Chen was not only asking for a lot but was also incredibly generous, offering three million taels of real gold and silver for the first transaction.

His sincerity was evident.

However, Yu Zhirong did not let excitement cloud his judgment; he smiled bitterly and said, “Taibao, it’s not that I don’t want to do business with you. It’s just that, given the current situation, we truly have the desire but lack the means.”

Currently, turmoil was widespread across Dayan. Most counties had raised rebel flags, plunging the nation into a period of chaos and power struggles.

Moreover, bandits roamed freely, traitors and heretics caused further strife, making business at least ten times harder than before.

Although Fortune Celebration Commerce was strong and capable, gathering these supplies and transporting them thousands of miles to West Sea County would entail unpredictable losses along the way.

They couldn’t afford such risks!

“The main issue is transportation, right?” Wang Chen said after listening to Yu Zhirong’s concerns. “If you don’t need to transport these supplies here and can just stockpile and deliver locally, would that work?”

Local delivery?

Yu Zhirong was momentarily stunned but instinctively nodded. “That could work.”

If they could simply purchase supplies without the need for long-distance transportation, then Fortune Celebration Commerce wouldn’t face much of a problem, and the costs would drop to an excitingly manageable level.

“Then it’s settled.”

Wang Chen clapped his hands and smiled. “Once you’ve sourced everything, just let me know, and I’ll send someone to collect it.”

That person would, of course, be Wang Chen himself.

His storage space could hold countless items, so a trip to the designated place of Fortune Celebration Commerce would allow him to carry back as much as he needed.

Additionally, this would give Wang Chen a chance to understand the situations in various counties of Dayan, facilitating future campaigns.

Moreover, since Fortune Celebration Commerce wouldn’t be transporting the goods, the costs would naturally be significantly reduced, allowing for even more supplies to be exchanged.

This was a move that achieved three benefits at once!

Yu Zhirong initially couldn’t believe it, but after confirming multiple times, he realized that Wang Chen was not joking.

Thus, he firmly represented Fortune Celebration Commerce and signed a cooperation agreement with Wang Chen!

Following this, as large numbers of refugees continued to arrive in succession, West Sea County and Hanhai County simultaneously sparked a wave of construction and farming efforts.